Starry Night
by Souzousei
Summary: Woman I will find a way to help you ease your troubled mind. SoraxKairi/One-shot.


**DISCLAIMER:** What if I said I did own Kingdom Hearts? What would you say? I own the complete discs to both games. Isn't that enough?

Author's note; I wrote this listening to Ron Pope's 'Daylight' on repeat. It's a wonderful song, and the inspiration to this one-shot. I highly recommend at least listening to it, whether while reading this or afterwards.

**Starry Night**

Sora's POV

* * *

I laid on the beach for the first time in what felt like a millennium. The sun had begun to set over the horizon of the ocean, and the temperature was dropping, although it was never truly cold on Destiny Islands.

"It's been too long." I said, apropos of nothing. Kairi nodded from where she was lying next to me, with her head on my stomach. Riku gave a small "yeah" from where he was holding onto Kairi's hand, his head barely touching mine as we laid in an awkward triangle. Far too long had we gone without each others companionship, and here we hungrily soaked it in, like a sponge.

The night's hushed silence came upon us as the moon rose above us.

"Have you ever wondered, since the stars in the sky are worlds, what that made the moon?" Riku asked softly.

"Maybe it's just another world. One that's closer to us." Kairi offered. I felt Riku cock his head to the side. "It doesn't look like any world I've ever seen."

"Maybe it's a giant ocean, so you can't see any life from this far away." She said, indignant.

I smiled.

"It wouldn't be the first one. Atlantica looked just like a giant ocean rock from space."

Kairi turned her head from the sky, towards my head.

"What was Atlantica like?" She asked, her eyes full of curiosity.

I thought about how I was a mermaid, how it was like to breathe water, and what it was like to swim all the time.

"It's different. I didn't realize how much so till I thought about it now."

"How so?" Riku asked, curiosity getting the best of the one who had originally wanted to travel the worlds.

I felt my face flush as I tried to explain.

"Well, instead of legs I had fins.."

"Like a mermaid?" Kairi asked. Riku chuckled next to me.

"_Man_." I tried to state. "Mer_man_."

I could almost feel Kairi and Riku both roll their eyes.

"Sure you are, Sora." Riku stated. Reaching up, I thumped him on the head.

"Like your one to talk, ." Riku gave something of a snort as a reply, but made no comment. I grinned to myself, and reached up to mess with a strand of Kairi's hair.

"You guys are lucky. You got to travel to all sorts of places. I got stuck with the castles and the towns." She remarked.

"And it's cause you were always kidnapped." I teased, ruffling her hair. She twisted her head up, sticking her tongue out at me.

"Can't help I make a good damsel-in-distress."

"Got that right." Riku said, and we all shared in the laughter.

I sighed as the laughter died out.

"We really have traveled far and wide, haven't we?" I asked, turning my head to look at Riku. The blue of his eyes reflected the moonlight, giving him a rather ghostly expression.

"Pretty much." He said, shifting a little uncomfortably. I knew he was thinking about his days as a follower of darkness and how he used it to travel the worlds. "But you've still been more places than I have."

"Have I?" I asked, not all together sure.

"I'm sure. I didn't go many places outside of where we met."

I continued with, "You mean Monstro? 'Cause I'm not sure getting swallowed by some intergalactic space whale counts as a world."

"That doesn't sound pleasant." Kairi said, wrinkling her nose.

"It wasn't." Riku and I both replied. His pale face smiled slightly, before he turned his head to look at the sky.

"Although, if I remember correctly, it was pretty colorful for the inside of a whale." He said. Kairi made a sound akin to "nnghk" which I took for disgust.

"Hey, space travel isn't all fun and games missy." I stated, taking a very serious tone. "I hear that." Riku said in the same mocking tone.

Kairi ignored our taunting as she watched the sky above.

"My favorite was Twilight Town." She said softly. Riku nudged me with the elbow closest to me. "She's right man, she didn't make it to many worlds."

I chuckled when Kairi playfully smacked him with his hand that she held lightly.

"I liked the people, thank you very much."

"It's too much like here." Riku said.

"Maybe that's why I like it." She grumbled. "This has always been home." I softly ran my fingers through her hair.

"That's true." I replied, once again whispering as I took in the sounds of the ocean waves I had grown up hearing at every hour of the day. After a minute, Riku patted Kairi's hand then sat up, shaking the sane out of his hair as he did.

"Well guys, I've been away for far too long. I'm ready to find my bed and sleep for the next 3 years." He stood up and stretched out his arms briefly before trekking across the beach. He called a 'goodnight' before disappearing into the shadows of the night.

Kairi sat up, the warmth of her body immediately missed as mine was exposed to the night air.

"What was your favorite world?" she asked, turning towards me, as she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. I sat up, propping myself on my hands and looking out towards the ocean, deliberating.

"It's kinda hard to pick. I never went to world's for enjoyment. It was just something that came with the job."

She gave a small "oh."

"But if I had to pick, it might be Hollow Bastion. I've been there so many times now, it's nuts." I smiled. "But I've got some good friends there."

Kairi smiled. "Like Leon, and Yuffie, and them?"

"Yeah."

Kairi leaned over and laid a warm hand on top of mine, and I felt my face flush just a bit. Suddenly, for the first time I could remember in a very long while, I was glad for the darkness surrounding me.

"What was one of the weirdest worlds you went to?" She asked, continuing to pepper me with question.

"What is this, 20 questions?" I laughed, then thought.

"Either The Pride Lands, or Halloween Town."

"The Pride Lands?" She asked.

I smiled.

"There I was a lion cub."

Kairi gave me an incredulous look. "I'm not sure I believe you."

"No, ask Donald and Goofy. 'Cause I'm completely serious." I smiled though, and wasn't sure she completely believed me.

"Well, what about Halloween Town? Sounds spooky." She commented and turned foward, leaning against my side. I slide my arm up, bracing against her back.

"It was spooky. Imagine it being the Halloween holiday all year 'round. Being in a costume all the time, fearing to be scared at every turn in the road." I thought of Jack and his dog, ,Sally, even the Mayor. "But it was fun. Jack, the leader of it all was a bit eccentric though. He tried to take over Christmas from Santa."

"I thought you didn't believe in Santa anymore?" Kairi said, deciding it was better to just listen and not comment on the oddity of Sora in a town that related to Halloween or Christmas all year long.

"Let's just say I've seen the light."

"Hallelujah." The sarcasm was thick in her voice.

I laughed, trying not to shake her where she leaned against my shoulder.

"What other worlds did you meet Riku in?" She continued.

"Let's see..." I raised my other hand, tacking them off. "There's Traverse Town, but that wasn't for very long. Monstro, which we've already discussed. We have the obvious ones like Hollow Bastion and The World that Never Was...hmm.." I thought harder. "There was a time I thought I had met him in the Land of the Dragons. I should probably ask him about that."

Kairi waited patiently as I continued to think.

"Oh!" I snapped my fingers. "I met him when he was traveling with Captain Hook in Neverland."

"Captain?" She repeated.

"Yeah. Of a pirate ship." Kairi made a face. "Actually, you were on that ship for a while. Before you got your, uhm, heart back and stuff.." I said trailing off slightly. I felt her hand squeeze mine.

"Did I ever thank you for that?" She asked. I laughed. "It's not like I had a choice." But I squeezed her hand back, gently, letting her know I didn't mind.

"Yeah well..." She leaned up and kissed me on the cheek lightly. I felt my face flame, but didn't know what to say.

'_You've spent almost two years fighting heartless and you still don't know how to say how you feel._' I told myself. There shouldn't be anything to be afraid of.

But I wrapped my arm around her waist, and stayed silent. She laid her head back down on my shoulder.

"Oh well, thanks anyways."

"Anytime." I squeaked out. I felt her breathe leave her body as she laughed silently.

"So, how was the pirate ship?" She asked in her best interpretation of a pirate accent.

"I learned to fly." The excitement I had was tangible just in my voice. "And it was great. Of course Hook's pirate ship was nothing compared to Jack Sparrow's."

"Another Jack?" She asked, almost exasperated.

"A real pirate. Not some joke like Hook. Jack was the real deal, searching for gold, and a real pirate ship with a skull flag and everything. His enemies were all cursed to." I cringed. "It was kinda disturbing."

"Sounds like it." She murmured, her head drooping slightly.

I lowered my voice. "Tired?" I barely whispered.

"A little bit." She answered just as quietly. "But I'm not ready to leave yet. I wanna keep talking. We haven't been able to since this entire thing began."

Her head raised and she looked around at the shadows surrounding us, a nervous edge creeping in her voice. "I haven't been able to tolerate the nighttime ever since."

"Scared of the dark, are we?" I teased lightly. She turned her face, glaring at me. "Yes, actually."

"Yeah, well, don't be. You've got the best fighter against the darkness that there ever was sitting right here." Kairi looked over her shoulder before feigning surprise.

"Who? Riku left forever ago." She joked. I tried to push her off of me but her arms came around and clung to my waist, making it a difficult feat. "I'm kidding." She said, her face close to mine. I pulled back slightly, dizzy just by the sudden closeness.

After she re-situated herself, the questions started again.

"Which was your least favorite world?"

"Agrabah. It's too hot." I grimaced. "And sandy."

"It's sandy here." Kairi commented, piling a little sand on my thigh.

"Not like a desert though." I breathed in the ocean air. "It didn't smell like salt air, or anything like that. It was just hot. But it was worth it in meeting Aladdin. And Jasmine."

"Jasmine was one of the princesses of heart, right?"

"Right."

Kairi's brow furrowed. "I think I remember her. Dark skin, long hair?"

"That's her. Aladdin's girl." I smiled just thinking about them. "I assume they're living happily married by now."

"And what about you?" She asked, nonchalantly.

"Well, I'm not married or anything." I smiled as Kairi knocked her elbow into me. "I meant, are you happy, you bum?" She retorted.

I squeezed her around the waist, softly.

"Absolutely."

"Good." She replied.

I was pulled out of whatever conversation we were having when warm water lapped up onto my foot.

"Looks like the tide is coming in." I pointed out. If Kairi had heard me, she didn't react.

"Sora?" I heard her ask after a few moments in silence.

"Yeah?"

She pulled her legs up closer to her body. "Will you take me flying one day? In Neverland?"

"I'll take you anywhere you want to go." I replied. Suddenly an idea came to me. "But we don't have to wait. I'll show you what it's like to fly right now if you want."

Her head moved till she could see into my eyes. "Really?" A childlike excitement came over her face. I nodded and lifted her up to a standing position.

"Now, follow me." I said, just as excited.

"Sora, it's dark. I can barely see you."

"Then here." I said, and reached my hand out, taking hers in mine. The warm hand curled around mine in a light grip that made me pause before I could remember what I was doing.

Slowly, I led her towards the Secret Place. I blessed whatever deity I could think of that no moonlight was shining into the caves, so that the drawing of so many years past wasn't viewable.

"Alright, you stand here a minute." I said, then let go of her hand and walked blindly, groping, looking for the big boulder off towards the left. After stubbing my foot, I realized I had found it. "Sora?" I heard Kairi call out, her voice wavering.

"It's okay." I crawled up onto the boulder and stood up. "Alright, can you follow my voice?"

"I think so." She said, her voice tight. Her footsteps fumbled a minute, but grew steadily closer towards where I was. The squeal when I reached out and grabbed her shoulder was priceless.

"That wasn't funny." Kairi grumpily replied to my laughter that now bounced off the walls.

"Oh, sure it was." I said smiling as I held her hands, as she scrambled up onto the boulder beside me.

"Alright, now, when I lift you up, I want you to reach up above you and feel for the opening in the ceiling."

"Okay.." She said, a bit confused.

"Now when you've found it, there should be a rope, so pull it down when you feel it." I instructed.

"I'm not gonna end up grabbing a snake or something am I?" She asked warily. I imagined her looking up at the ceiling with a nervous expression.

"Not that I know of." I cheerily replied. She sighed and placed her hands on my shoulders. "Alright then. Lift me up."

I gripped her hips hard in my hands till she was a fair ways up, before completely wrapping my arms around her to keep her up. I could hear her hands clapping around on the ceiling.

"It's gross up here." I heard her say.

"Yeah, but this'll be worth it." I said, smiling.

"If you say so." Kairi continued searching the ceiling till- "Okay, I found it!"

"Alright, good so just pull the ro--OW!" The rope suddenly came down smacking my face hard as it fell to just past my waist.

"Sorry!" Kairi called back down. I just rolled my eyes and stated she did that on purpose.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." She said, teasing, still held up by me.

"Alright, alright. Can you climb up the rope into the opening?"

"Um, maybe." She said, sounding uncertain.

"If not, we can see if I can throw you up there." I offered.

"That's alright. Maybe just a boost?" She suggested. I slid her up as high as I could, Kairi pulling herself up with the rope till suddenly she was up and in the opening. I took the rope in my hands and scrambled up it quickly, and threw myself over the lip of the ceiling.

I ghosted over the area quickly, till I found what I was looking for. Whispering I told Kairi to close her eyes.

"Like I can see anything anyways." She muttered. "You better be guiding my every step from here on out."

I took her hand in mine."No problem." Slowly I pulled her over towards the far wall where a ladder stood built into the cliff side. I laid her hand on the side of it, and scrambled up it.

"Okay, follow me up. Carefully though." I said, watching as she slowly stepped her way up the ladder. I grabbed the tops of her arms when she had made it high enough and pulled her the rest of the way up.

"Your eyes still closed?" I asked despite the fact that the moonlight was beginning to peek over the cliff above and I could see for myself. Kairi nodded, and held out her hand for mine.

"Alright, we're gonna do just a little bit of hiking now." And I led her over to a small rock pile. Pulling her in front of me, I placed my hands on her waist.

"Keep moving forward, I'm gonna make sure you don't fall."

"Fall? That's comforting." She said, nervousness beginning to creep back into her voice.

"Don't worry." I breathed close to her ear, and she didn't say anything in reply.

We reached the top of the cliff in just a few minutes, me calmly stating 'See? Now that wasn't so hard.' before position Kairi in the perfect place in the center of the cliff. I walked around behind her and gently placed my hands on her shoulders.

"Open your eyes."

Her eyes wrenched open, anticipation quickly replaced by shock.

"Sora.." She gasped. She reached back for my hand, gripping it tightly. "It's.."

"Pretty awesome." I stated.

"It's beautiful." She cried out. The view from the cliff showed the ocean stretching out for miles and miles, the stars above looking closer than they ever had before. The air smelt less of salt, and was crisp and cool. Flowers growing on ivy stretched up the side of the cliff as palm trees floated in the breeze.

"I feel like I'm on top of the world." She whispered walking forward to the edge of the cliff.

"You are, for the most part." She turned in a circle peering around. Sure enough, nothing taller could be seen than the cliff we stood upon. "And that's what it's like to fly. To see everything from a sky view. It's breathtaking." I let go of her hand and sat on the edge of the cut-off, letting my feet dangle.

"I can't imagine anything better than this view." She said, sitting down next to me. She looked up at the sky, and reached a hand out to it. "I think if I stretch far enough, I might be able to touch a star." Her eyes suddenly turned to me. "How did you find this place?"

I shrugged.

"Just one of those places Riku and I found back when we were kids."

"And you never showed me?!" She said, playfully hitting my shoulder.

"Hey now, it wasn't a big deal to us when we were kids. At least not the view. All we cared about was another secret area. One for us _men_." I teased.

Kairi narrowed her eyes, but said nothing more, instead pondering all that was around her.

"I can't get over it." She whispered. "I can't imagine flying giving me any better of a feeling than this." She turned facing me. "Thank you, Sora. For bringing me here."

"It was nothing." I said, scratching the back of my head. Before I knew it she had leaned forward, and softly, barely, touched her lips to mine. It lasted only a second, but I was absolutely shocked into stillness. I felt my cheeks inflame. But before anything could be done, before anything could be said, she curled up next to me, laying her head on my shoulder. My arm automatically came around her waist, almost without thought.

The silence following was one of comfort and companionship. Nothing need be said, and nothing would be till the sun began to peak up over the horizon. Kairi would break the quiet first.

"I'm glad your home, Sora."

* * *

Oi, Kingdom Hearts fanfic ideas have been pouring into my head lately after I played through both games again. Anyways, I'd like to hear what you think, as this is my first KH fanfic.

Read & Review, please.


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